Falling Slowly
by AmaranthaAmy
Summary: A year after a horrible car bombing Amarantha Briggs a.k.a Amy starts her life fresh in a new town with new friends and a crazy family member. As she adjusts to her new life trying to leave her old one behind Amy has to deal with horrors, betrayals and traumas no teen should have to deal with and a dark shadow from the past resurfaces threatening her life.
1. Prologue: Drowning in the Deep

**Prologue**

Darkness, no matter what direction I looked that's all I could see, darkness, but it didn't matter anyway I had no need for light. I didn't want anyone to see me as I held back my tears. I never, cried I had to be the little trooper my dad raised me to be, but I felt so small, like I was 5 years old again.

"Hey, kimi?" a girl called to me from somewhere in the darkness. I ignored her still focusing on pushing down my feelings.

"Hey, hey kimi, why are you crying?" she asked. I scrubbed my hand across my cheeks to check for tears, thankfully they were still dry.

"I'm not crying," I shouted.

"Really it doesn't look that way to me,"

"I'm not! I'm just…sad, now leave me alone," I whined crouching down into a ball, I folded my arms over my knees.

"Sad? Sad about what?" she asked, with the hint of a laugh in her voice.

"Nothing now could you go away!" I shouted and then held my breath in a despite attempt to hold back my tears.

"Hey you're in my home if you want to be alone then you leave," now, she sounded annoyed.

"I can't leave there's nothing but darkness here and I don't know the way out," even if I did I had nowhere to go. Besides it was comfortable here in the darkness well it would be if she would just leave me alone!

"The way out is deciding to leave. You're here because you want to be, we both know it. You have problems you're not dealing with, and until you start dealing with them you'll just be stuck here… with me… bugging you. So, what's your problem?" she asked seeing right through me. I sighed hesitant.

"I've lost everything and now I'm all alone," I finally whispered, pathetically.

"Hm?" she asked.

"A bomb… there was a bomb in my parent's car. My parents took my brother and me on a trip to celebrate me getting into Imperial academy an exclusive performing arts school. I'd been working my whole life to get in. My dad took us for a drive through the mountains to see the leaves changing. I got out to gather some leave so I could press them… to commemorate the moment. I got about 10 feet away my mom started to call me back when the bomb went off," I held my breath again. Yes I remembered that day very clearly. The deafening sound of the blast that threw me across the ground wrapping my body around a tree. The sickening sound of my bones breaking and worse the sight of three bodies burning.

"AHHHHHHHHHHH!" I screamed covering my eyes I couldn't help it and even though it was dark I could still see it.

"Whoa, whoa what's your problem?" she said actually sounding concerned.

"What's my problem!?" I had meant to sound angry but my voice shook making me sound even more childlike.

"Yeah you just started flipping out," she said putting a hand on my head. "Hm you really got it ruff huh, but is the sorrow so bad that it's worth dying for," she asked.

"Maybe," I said in a pout. "I have nothing left to live for," I said and it was true my hopes dreams and family had all been destroyed blown away by that bomb.

"No I guess you don't," she said casually. "But you could, if you stay here and drown in your despair you'll hurt forever. Never moving, you'll be trapper here being eaten away by your loss… but if you get up and move forward couldn't you be that strong little trooper your dad loved." That struck a nerve.

"What do you know!" I yelled. Feeling a fire ignite in me.

"I know you Amy," She said in a warm voice. "I know that you loved to play in the rain when you were little. When you were six you tried to sell your little brother to your neighbor. You were raised with a strong since of justice, and the thing you hate the most is letting down those who believe in you like your dad and your friends so stop being weak standup and face reality Amy," she said, and I felt like the pressure on my chest was released. She was right nothing was going to be solved by me sitting here, I had to move forward.

As soon as I thought that my feet started to sink into the floor. "That a girl," she said happily to me and for the first time since entering this place I could see something. A teenaged girl maybe a little older than me with short raven hair and a-are those horns and little devil wings!? She had green eyes and a spiked purple collar. The word staff labeled a gold crown on her tank top and she had purple and black jeans on.

"What's going on," I yelled up to her as I reached out to for help.

"You're starting to move on from your problems so you're moving on from this place," she said as she watched me sink.

"Wait! Who are you, and what is this place?" I shouted in a panic as I sunk faster.

"This place is the pit of despair a place where the broken come to rot away… and me I'm just your friendly usher here to nudge people like you to the place you're supposed to be. You can call me ChiNoMiko," she said as she waved goodbye.

"Wait, wait" the floor had almost swallowed me completely.

"Don't worry Amy we'll meet again and when we do I'll answer all your questions then," she said then turned around and walked away.

That was the dream I had just before waking up from my coma and continued to have every day afterwards.


	2. Chapter 1: The Day That Never Ends

Chapter 1

I awoke to my aunt Agatha timidly knocking at my door and the muted whisper of my alarm clock. "Amy?" she asked through the door but I wasn't really listening I had the strange feeling I was forgetting something… something important, from my dream… what did I dream about? "Amy, Amy Are you awake" I lifted my head up from my mattress, for some reason my pillow was gone.

"Yeah I'm up, I've been up for hours," I yawned sleepily. "Just trying to find the perfect thing to wear, you know how that goes," I told her laying my head back down on the mattress and felt around on the floor for my pillow.

"Good we only have fifteen minutes before we have to leave so come down soon for breakfast," she told me before she left.

"Okay," I called out to her with another yawn and, finally, I found my pillow but when I lifted it up the full force of my alarm hit me. "I'm up!" I yelled as I fumbled on the floor for my alarm clock. "6:48! How did it get so late," I asked myself as I ran to the bathroom tripping over every one of the many moving boxes scattered all over my floor. I washed my face and brushed my teeth at the same time, a weird skill I had picked up from many late mornings in my previous life. Once you get over the taste of facial cleanser in your mouth it's not that hard.

After rinsing down my face and mouth I awkwardly ran back to my room to tackle my hair, cringing in pain when I stubbed my toe on a moving box. I hopped on my good foot to my closet where I had a full length mirror. It took me all of two seconds to realize that my hair was a lost cause I quickly threw it into a neat ballerina bun and turned to my pile of boxes labeled clothes and quickly turned away. There was no way I was gonna find anything acceptable to wear now. I went into my carryon bag and pulled out a uniform still wrapped in plastic. The Imperial academy of performing arts uniform, I never thought I would wear it especially like this. "Well I guess it's better than my street clothes, and Sweet Amoris never did send me a uniform," I murmured to myself as I slipped it on. One last glance in the mirror and down the stairs. "I'm ready," I said as I plucked up a piece of toast. "How do I look," I asked twirling on my good leg.

"Good… but aren't you missing something," she asked. Shoes, skirt, and shirt, no, I was fully dressed.

"Ah my book bag thanks I almost forgot," I said quickly as I tried to pass her I knew by looking at her what I had forgotten now. "Well we should get going," I was so close to slipping past but she grabbed my arm.

"Amy your knee brace," she said trying to sound authoritative. Ugh I hated that stupid knee brace it was huge and clunky going from the top of my thigh to my ankle. How was that a knee brace? It had huge straps and buckles no way could I make any friends wearing that thing I'd look like a complete idiot.

"Auntie I don't need that thing anymore I'm doing great in physical therapy and my doctor says I'll only need the brace while doing strenuous activity. I'm going to school we'll be sitting most of the time so really I don't need it at all," I babbled trying to slip out again but this time she blocked my path big clunky brace in hand. Ugh.

"Auntie I'll be fine on my own really," I told her for the hundredth time as we sat in the parking lot outside of the school.

"Are you sure, I think I should come in with you to-"she started to say but I cut her off.

"No, no I'll be fine," I said getting out of the car. Thanks to the stupid leg brace I was already late so no one was around to see me waddle about in this stupid thing.

"Okay but remember I have work so I can't come and pick you up," she yelled, I pretended not to hear her as I walked to the school. "Take the bus, okay, don't try to walk home alone," she yelled. I quickly retreated into the courtyard of the school. Please tell me nobody heard that, I thought as I removed the dumb brace this day was already a turning into a nightmare.

"Ha," I thought I heard someone laugh.

"Hello?" I asked. But no answer. Ugh I didn't like this, it felt like this nightmare just changed into a horror movie and apparently I was the idiotic character that went looking for trouble, in the creepy bushes on the far side of the courtyard. "Hello?" I called as I peeked into the bush when-

"Caw, caw,"

"AHHHH!" I screamed as a bird shot out of the bush straight at me "Ouch," and I fell right on my butt.

"Ha, Ha, Ha, Ha!" Okay someone was definitely laughing at me now. I looked over and found a boy with shocking red hair laughing at me.

"H-hey that wasn't funny," I said my face beet red.

"Wasn't it? Serves you right anyway for being a nosy little school girl," did he just call me a school girl? Nosy I'm used to I've heard that my fair share of times but school girl I didn't get.

"What do you mean school girl," I asked. He just looked me up and down once.

"The only other person you'll see dressed like that around here is that idiot class president," he said with a smirk. I was gonna ask what he meant until I noticed what he was wearing.

"Yo-You're not in uniform," I was so confused and shocked I don't know if that came out as a question or just a statement of fact. I had never been to a school that didn't have uniforms -even my public elementary school made us wear those ugly polo shirts- so it never occurred to me that this school wouldn't have uniforms.

If it was true and there were no uniforms, then brace or no brace I would stick out like a sore thumb, and just like this rude guy they would all look at me as a stuck up, or nerdy, or timid little school girl.

This was the first time I would be going to a school where I knew no one, a fresh start, I wanted to make a new name for myself. I WANNA BE COOL! Not that I was unpopular in my old life I had a good group of friends, but I never had the time to enjoy it. I practiced dance 4 hour a day, I had singing lessons three times a week. When I didn't have singing lessons I had acting lessons and there was a whole list of other things that I don't even care to list. Hanging out with friends wasn't really an option for me. Well there was one friend that always seemed to find time in my schedule. I shuddered at the thought. This time around I had broken dreams no aspirations and I was all alone so I wanted to enjoy school life.

I turned on my heels and ran straight into the school building, not bothering to look back- I heard a questioning hm from the boy but nothing else- and ran right into the bathroom. Luckily all of the students were in class. I pulled my pinkish purple hair from its bun and took off my uniform jacket, but it was still very obvious that this was a uniform. I spent a little more time trying to brush my cowlicks down when a bell rung. Crap! I only meant to be a little late but I missed all of first period. I stuffed everything in my bag and rushed to the front office.

"Um excuses me I'm the new student," I blurted out instantly as I barged into the office panting wildly. I was out of shape.

"Hello Amarantha-"she started to ask in an annoyed voice but I couldn't let one thing go.

"Please just call me Amy," I corrected. I was named Amarantha because of the deep pinkish purple of my hair and the pale green of my eyes reminded my mother of the Amaranthus plant, but seriously it's hard to find a girl's name that ends with a t-h-a that sounds cute Martha, Bertha, Agatha, AMARANTHA!- ok there's Samantha but it's not that cute.

"Alright… Amy then," it seems like my little outburst pissed her off more than before because even though she said polite words she said them in one of the scariest manners that I had ever heard. "Hello Amy, welcome to Sweet Amoris High School, I am your principal," she said slamming my schedule down on the counter. "I hope you feel at home quickly here in your new school," she said a little less terrifyingly.

"T-Thank you ma'am," I said quickly trying to get out of there.

"Wait," she said and my body froze automatically.

"Y-Yes Ma'am," I asked scared again. "On your free period go see Nathaniel, he's the student body president. Have him check over your registration papers for completion. He'll be in the student council room it's by the courtyard entrance," she said passing me a stack of papers. "Courtyard got it," I said and then off to second period.

"Hello my name is Amy Briggs and I'm new here. No to formal. Hello I'm- Hi I'm Amy nice to meet you all," I was practicing my introduction for second period while I waited for the teacher to get me when- "Amy my love I've finally found you!" I heard the most horrible sound anyone has ever heard since humans grew ears. "Ke-Ken!?" I asked as I saw the little nerd I had known since kindergarten. No this was not possible I had told no one where I was, of where I was going how, HOW! NO this wasn't happening. I'm gonna close my eyes take a deep breath and look over and there will be no Ken. I looked over. "You?! What are you doing here?!" I asked kind of rudely. I didn't mean to and it hurt my heart to see his little face fall in disappointment. "Well I couldn't get into Imperial academy and I heard you weren't there a-and I called your house no answer so I've just been transferring from school to school till I found you!" Yeah he actually sounded proud like this was something any sane person would do can you believe it! He wrapped his arms around me in a tight embrace and of course the teacher just had to open the door.

Why do I have no luck? Everyone was laughing. "Aw look at the two nerd birds all cozy," one girl, with long blonde hair and a smug unfriendly smile, said as I broke out of Kens hug. I went straight to the first seat I saw at the back no introduction. I didn't want to give any of these people a name for them to spread this story about.

As class started I thought about Ken. Now he wasn't always like this -well kinda but not as obsessive... well kinda but- when we first met, he was a new kid being bullied on the playground when I intervened –I lost two baby teeth that day and almost got expelled for fighting- but it was the right thing to do. He had been my best friend since then we did everything together he's the only friend I spent any time with and had fun times-that's right Ken was the one friend that always seemed to find time in my schedule. Then he realized that he loved me. Valentine's Day sixth grade Ken decorated the whole classroom in hearts and pictures of me, ugh, he put a six foot tall heart shaped card on my desk try riding the bus with that in your lap. That was the second time I almost got expelled for fighting. Since then he has made bigger and more extravagant events that embarrassed me to the point of extreme mortification. "No not again," I yelled and everyone looked back at me. "Miss," the teacher said in a stern voice and I heard a laughs from all around but the one coming from beside me was familiar. It was the red haired boy from before. He was sitting right there smug smirk on his face. "It might have been worth sitting through this boring class to see a show like this school girl," he told me and I almost lost it. "Stop calling me school girl!" Ok I lost it a little. "Miss one more outburst and," the teacher started to say when the bell rang and I rushed out of the room to avoid him and Ken.

After that class it seemed like each and every teacher had some new heavy textbook and I was fumbling with them when I bumped into someone.

"Whoa," he said trying to catch my books but some slipped to the ground. "Are you okay?" he asked looking over at me.

"Yeah thanks," I told him nervously. The boy was quite handsome tall strong jaw blonde hair and eyes to match. What really got me was his dress shirt and tie. NOT THAT I'M ATTRACTED TO GUYS THE ALWAYS DRESS FORMALLY! In fact it was kinda weird when you looked around at all the other students but it made me feel a little more at ease in my uniform now that someone else was dressed up. I kinda felt like we were in our own little matching club. "u-um excuse me but-" I was gonna ask him if he knew where my next class was when I slipped on one of my fallen books and practically tackled him to the ground. Books flying everywhere.

"O~uch!" he said holding his head. I would have apologized right away but I was wrapped up in my own pain. I had twisted my bad knee and it was swelling rapidly. "Hey are you okay!" he said alarmed. When he saw me holding my swollen knee he immediately scooped my up in his arms.

"W-What are you doing," I asked in a panic.

"Getting you to the nurse," he said sternly.

"Wait no I'm fine," I said trying to kick out of his arms but the pain was too great. Luckily no one was in the hall to see me fall or this boy I didn't even know carry me.

In the nurses office I had to come clean about breaking my knee and my dumb leg brace- which she made me wear. I iced my knee for the rest of the period and when I left to go to me next class there was the boy, with all my books in hand looking worried.

Honors biology, this class went smoothly. I shared it with Nathaniel- the boy who carried me to the nurse- but he already had a partner so I sat next to a chipper friendly girl named Iris… I think. I can't be sure most of the time admittedly I was stealing glances at Nathaniel and one or twice I think he was stealing glances at me too. BACK ON TOPIC: Iris was great but honestly speaking, I have no idea how she got into this class, while she was perfectly nice- I don't have anything against her- she was just a little… lost and all over the place.

"Sorry you got stuck with me," she blushed apologetically.

"What are you talking about you're great I think we could be great friends," I told her smiling. She smiled to and offered to walk me to my next class. On our way I saw my little nerd huddled in a corner looking sad. I told iris to go ahead and went over to Ken.

"What's wrong?" I asked not realizing I was there he jumped.

"Oh Amy it's nothing,"

"Doesn't look like nothing to me,"

"It's just this girl," he started to say, and before I got the chance to think he had found a new girl to obsess over he grabbed my arm. "This girl and her friends took all my money!" he blurted. Seriously he's getting beaten up by girls now. I really am worried about this boy.

"Ken are you okay,"

"Yeah it's just I had to skip lunch and-" I got my wallet out immediately.

"I have to pay for my enrollment fee so I can't give you much but it's at least enough for a snack," I told him as I handed over $5.

"No-no I don't need it… I love you Amy," he hugged me quickly and left.

The day rest of the day went by smoothly… well at least there weren't any more embarrassments till it was time to go home.

"Didn't your mommy tell you not to walk home?" I heard Castiel say behind me. A couple of onlookers giggled.

"H-hey you herd that?" oh crap why. He smiled seeing my panic. "That wasn't my mom and anyway I missed the bus," I said waddling away. "And I'm not gonna sit around and have people gawk at me in this thing," I murmured quietly looking down at my brace.

"Here I'll show you somewhere more private to wait," he said pulling me away by the arm.

We ended up on the roof of the school. Once the bus hits that corner you should start heading down," he told me. Surprisingly enough despite his moody disposition Castiel was really nice and despite the kinda girly hair and… annoying remarks he was pretty handsome too.

"Why are you helping me?" I never meant to ask but the words just seemed to fall out of my mouth. He didn't answer. "Well if you're a fan of the wings and skulls you can't be all bad," he looked surprised when I said that.

"The little school girl knows about rock music?" he asked sarcastically.

"They have pretty decent albums," I told him. We bantered back and forth for a while until the bus came.

I came back to an empty apartment. So I did busy work like homework, and unpacking my boxes and when I ran out of those I started to do the rest of the house, hang curtains moving furniture. This place was finally starting to look like people lived here. Curse my time management skills, cause even when all the boxes were unpacked, the sun was still far from setting and I had run out of stuff to do. Yeah I was keeping busy for a reason. Aunt Aggie worked odd hours. For a fashion company that just moved overseas she did most of her work on a laptop but since I was on the mend she was back to working at a branch that was close by, from the time they closed till like 3am. I won't be seeing much of her.

For the first time since the bombing I was alone. In the hospital I was always surrounded by doctors, nurses, visiting family or even other patents. When I was bouncing from relative to relative there were usually little kids or old people that stayed home all day that I'd talk to or play with while I did online classes. This was the first time that no one was around to keep my attention thanks to that I was completely restless. I really had to find something to occupy my time.


	3. Chapter 2: A Date in the Rain

**Chapter 2**

Another late morning. I was rushing about trying to get myself together. Today I was actually wearing the dumb brace though I hid it under a long orange empire waist dress. One last twirl and I headed down to greet aunty. "Aunt Aggie I'm ready," I yelled but no answer. I checked the living room, bathroom, kitchen and her room but nothing. I guess she's not home yet. "Oh no I'm gonna be late," I told myself. I'm just gonna have to run for it. I sprinted for the door, only to trip up on something laying in the floor. "A-Aunt Aggie?" there she was fast asleep in the middle of the floor.

"A-Aunt aggie really I can walk I'll be fine," I told her for the hundredth time. When I woke her up I had only meant so that she could go sleep on her bed, but she insisted on driving.

"No, no I can't let you walk all alone with that leg," she said in a spacy voice. I was about to protest when "Ah!" aunt Aggie screamed and slammed on the breaks. "That dog came out of nowhere," She said catching her breath and started driving again. I looked around but no dog. What was she talking about?

"Um aunt Aggie the schools just down the street so I can walk from here," I said jumping out of the car so there was no protest. I probably shouldn't have gotten out of a moving car but she was driving so slow that it was easy. "Auntie go home and get some sleep," I told her as I walked beside the car. She nodded absently.

"That dog sure did come out of nowhere," someone laughed, and I knew who it was immediately. I had heard it almost all day yesterday.

"Why is it that every time something goes wrong your there? Are you stalking me or something?" I asked sarcastically.

"In your dreams princess," he said. He looked me up and down once and started walking. Ugh another nickname, I thought as I followed behind him. We walked to school in silence after about a minute things were getting awkward.

"Oh right you said you liked the Yeah, Yeah, Yeah's right?" I asked grabbing at any hope for a conversation. This silence was killing me.

"Yeah and," that was all he said.

"We~ell if you like them I'm sure you'll like these guys," I said pulling out my phone. Stealthily I popped one earphone into his left ear- ignoring him when he pulled away-and the other in my right. Okay maybe I was coming on a little strong but you have to be a little pushy when making friends right? I played a song from one of my favorite indie bands. He didn't look over or say anything for all I knew he might not have even been listening but at the edge of his mouth it looked like there was a small smile. We continued to walk in silence but it didn't feel so weird with the music playing. Once we got to the courtyard I started to pull the headphone from his ear but he grabbed my hand. Again he didn't look at me or say anything he just stood there. My heartbeat quickened and the place where his hand touched my wrist warmed. It felt like eternity before he let me go.

"Name," he asked finally looking at me. Did he really not know my name? I mean I know we just met yesterday but seriously.

"A-Amy," I stuttered gazing deeply into his grey eyes my heartbeat quickened.

"The band's name," He smirked. Oh.

"V-Vistalip," this time the stutter was out of embarrassment, embarrassment of the temporary insanity that caused me to be mesmerized by him!

"In your dreams princess," he scoffed ruffling my hair.

"Yeah right like I'd be interested in a guy like you," I said then headed to my first period.

"Hey you!" Someone shouted as soon as I entered the school. I turned around to see a girl with long blonde hair, green eyes, and expensive looking clothes coming at me. She was flanked by two girls, a girl with brown hair and an eyebrow piercing that looked like she didn't want to be there and a girl with jet black hair absent mindedly doing her makeup. "Hmph so you're the new girl," the blonde said circling me like a shark. "Hmph," she said again.

"Excuse me-,"

"There is only one girl for Castiel, and that's me," she said shoving me against the lockers. A strange feeling flared up in me when she said that an odd mix between anger and frustration. Who was she his girlfriend? No she doesn't look like his type probably just some obsessive stalker. "And don't think you can get cuddly with the class president either or any of the other boys around here," she said menacingly. "You and your little nerd bird boyfriend can just keep to yourselves and stay out of my way, when it comes to Castiel," she said shoving me one more time. My mind was racing trying to find some good come back something that said _you don't scare me _without actually saying the words, but nothing came. "Oh and tell your boyfriend to bring more money next week with that dinky amount that he brings now it'll take me forever to save up for a new phone.

It's funny how easily my claws come out cause when she said that. I was ready to mark the third time I'd almost be expelled for fighting.

The girl and her friends had gotten a little ways down the hall so I sprinted after her. I was an inch away from grabbing a fist full of that long blonde hair when… I slipped. I landed flat on my face. The girls noticed me then and laughed before heading into their class.

"Ugh what did I slip on?" I asked myself as I peeled something off my shoe. It was a small notebook with some strange word written on it. "Lysander? Wonder what that means," I said putting it in my backpack. I'd bring it to lost and found later. I had to pick up a few things that slipped out of my bag. That's when I saw it. "Oh no my registration form," I had forgotten to get it checked and turned in yesterday. "Crap," I needed to find Nathaniel the student body president. Hmm I wonder if that's the Nathaniel in my science class. I took a breath and didn't concern myself with it. I had a bigger problem for the second day in a row I was missing first period.

I couldn't concentrate through any of my classes I was too worried about Ken he was a fragile little thing and I couldn't protect him from everything, but this bratty menace needed to be stopped. I had been trying to find him all day but nothing. I ate my lunch outside with Iris my lab partner and a sweet shy girl who I found out was in my gym class Violette.

"S-so what h-happened to your l-leg she stuttered," Violette was the first person to ask me what happened and honestly I wasn't sure what to say. Violette and Iris were sweet girls and I didn't want to lie to them but I didn't want them to know the horrifying truth.

"U-uh I got into a car accident broke my leg," I told them shrugging it off. It wasn't totally a lie but it wasn't really all that close to the truth. They both looked at me with sympathy in their eyes. Ugh that's what I wanted to avoid sympathy and pity I didn't need it all that did was make the heart weak. It seemed like the weather had taken on my mood cause the sky darkened and the clouds rolled in fast. "We should get inside fast," I told them in an attempt to change the subject.

Throughout the whole day I hadn't seen Ken that was so weird I felt kind of off balance because of it. On my way out I finally realized it was raining. "Oh no," I hadn't been paying attention to the weather this morning great I'm gonna have to run for it. I took off my brace preparing to sprint, when I watched the bus I was supposed to be on pass by. Great.

"Need a hand," I heard a less familiar voice say I hadn't heard his voice as often as Castiel but I knew it was Nathaniel easily. He was standing next to me black umbrella in hand.

"I missed the bus,"

"I could walk you home… or to the bus stop at least," he said blushing.

"Well actually, Nathaniel are you also the class president?" I asked remembering the enrollment form. He nodded and I handed him my enrollment form. "I was supposed to have you check this yesterday," I told him kind of shyly. He checked everything quickly.

"Well you have almost everything done," he told me after a minute. Wait almost?

"Almost what do you mean I checked everything myself," I asked surprised.

"Um well you'll have to pay the enrollment fee for one, and get an ID photo and one of the pages is missing," he said showing me where the pages skipped from three to five. "But that might just be a mistake on the offices part I'll check for it tomorrow," he smiled.

"Ok I have the enrollment fee but where am I supposed to get this ID photo done,"

"You can get it anywhere. They usually just take it with a web cam and a blank wall,"

"I don't have a web cam,"

"Well do you have a camera or recent picture of you with a blank wall behind you," he asked. I had been in and out of the hospital for the last year no way was I letting anyone take a picture of me. I sighed and shook my head. If I took out the amount of money needed for the enrollment fee I didn't even have enough for a disposable camera and what's cheaper than that. Then an idea hit me.

"Actually Nathaniel can you walk me somewhere," I asked it was still raining pretty hard and I wanted to look good for my picture.

"Interesting," Nathaniel said awkwardly from outside the curtain.

"You've never been to a photo booth before?" I asked as I waited for the booth to count down.

"N-no is that weird?" he asked awkwardly. Honestly everything was awkward with Nathaniel but in a strange way it was kind of cute.

"Well since you're a boy I guess its ok, but your girlfriend never dragged you to one," I asked curiously. It was a little obvious what I was doing but I was hoping that he didn't have enough experience with girls to figure it out. He paused. Did he have a girlfriend, I bet it's that scanky lab partner of his, or that scanky blonde bully that's bothering Ken. I was pouting to myself when I heard a shy, "No I'm not really dating anyone right now," he sounded a little embarrassed, but strangely it made me feel better. What was wrong with me today? This was the second time that I felt this awful pain in my chest. I was clutching my chest curious about the pain when the flash went off in the booth I looked up to see a picture of me looking lost with my hand on my chest.

"Ugh, no way am I using that one," I said to myself as I got ready for the next picture. This picture booth let me take a lot of pictures and choose which ones I wanted. So I didn't feel any pressure the hold a fake smile for a minute just to get some stiff picture. This gave me an idea. Once I got a good ID picture I waited for the countdown to start and once it got to 2 I jumped out at Nathaniel pulling him in. the flash went off.

"Ha, ha, ha!" I couldn't help laughing his face was priceless.

"H-hey," he blushed

"Take a picture with me," I told him with a smile and the flash went off again capturing Nathaniel with his mouth gaping open, eyes wide and face flushed red. I laughed and he tried to leave. "No come on, take a picture with me, please Naty," I asked in the cutest voice I could manage and the flash went off again. "Come on just one good one," I begged. Nathaniel doesn't seem to have a single photogenic bone in his body because it took almost 10 shots to get a half way decent photo. On the last one the tables were turned as the countdown started Nathaniel hugged me around my shoulders the flash went off capturing me in the middle of a gasp and Nathaniel making a surprisingly sexy face. Okay I guess I have to take back that not photogenic remark. "H-Hey!" I yelled at him.

"Revenge!" he laughed. Well I couldn't argue with that.

"Okay then now we each pick 4 and write or draw on them," I told him, a little pouty I admit but as I started picking photos I started getting embarrassed. "Get out," I told him flatly.

"What?" he was shocked.

"I can't pick with you watching go stand outside until it's your turn," I shooed him out. I chose my ID photo, the picture of me pulling Nathaniel in the booth, the one decent one of both of us and the one where he hugged me. The hugging picture was the only one I drew on. I put hearts and stars all over the place and absent mindedly made banners and birds before I even realized it the picture was looking like a lame wedding announcement. It was embarrassing but I didn't have the heart to delete it. When they printed I immediately hid them and stepped out under Nathaniel's umbrella "Your turn," I said casually.

"Don't I get to see?" he asked.

"Nope," was all I said. Nathaniel looked curiously at me then went in. He took a while in there so while balancing the umbrella I quickly peeled off my ID photo sticker and put it on my enrollment form. When he came out I shoved the other pictures in my back pack.

"So don't I get to see?" I asked mimicking his question.

"Nope," he said mimicking my response. The rain had lightened to an almost nonexistent drizzle.

"Well I'll look for that form at home," I said trying to hand him his umbrella, but he waved me off.

"Keep it," he said stepping out into the rain before I could protest. "I'll look for it at school," he said smiling.

When Nathaniel left Amy he pulled out his four pictures and smiled. The last picture was his favorite. It was the picture of Amy with a forlorn expression on her face and her hand on her chest. She was beautiful and unlike Amy, Nathaniel could recognize the feelings growing in him. He had a crush on her the minute she had bumped into him in the hallway, no even before that, before he had even formally met her. Once he had seen her dance when his mother had dragged him to a ballet. Ever since then his heart has been moved by her. Every second he spent with her now just made his crush stronger, but an image flashed in his mind, Amy walking to school with Castiel, smiling as they listened to some song, him grabbing her arm, them gazing into each other's eyes. Nathaniel shook his head trying to erase the image. He could see Castiel's interest in her too and he knew that if Castiel found out about his interest in her it would just make him want to steal Amy away like some sick game of revenge. Nathaniel pushed back his lightly drenched hair and walked home with a solemn look on his face.


	4. Chapter 3: The Angel Has Fallen

**Chapter 3**

Aunt Aggie insisted on driving me again this morning, but I didn't care. I was in too good a mood. I don't know why but after yesterday's meeting with Nathaniel I had a light bubbly feeling, and I was ridding that high when I saw my little nerd walking alone.

"Aunty I can make it from here," I told her jumping out of the car. Again she was driving like two miles an hour. I ran after Ken and like Nathaniel did yesterday, I slung my arm around his shoulder. "Hi-ya handsome, where were you yesterday," I asked in my good mood. Of course Ken was flustered.

"A-Amy y-y-you noticed I was gone," he said, blinking like a thousand times.

"Of course, I'm so used to having you around all the time, I worry about you," I told him honestly. I couldn't help it I had been protecting Ken since the day we met while he was here within the reach of my arms I felt this need to protect him.

"Oh," he said sounding disappointed. I still had my arm hanging over his shoulder when we turned the corner to the courtyard. That's when I saw it, hanging over the door a huge paper banner of me and Ken with hearts all around us, saying _The Nerd birds of Sweet Amoris high. _I looked to Ken in a panic but he was still looking at the banner a hint of excitement in his eyes. Honestly I wouldn't put is past him to do this but the simple fact that that blonde girl had used the phrase nerd birds like a thousand times gave me an answer to who the real culprit was. Everyone in the courtyard was staring and laughing the atmosphere was just too heavy for me to handle I dropped my arm from Kens shoulder and ran into the school building.

Inside was worse that girl had taped up hundreds of other crudely Photoshopped pictures of me. As I looked around I could see the words, Loser, Bitch, and Ho glaring out from a few of the fliers. I had started to wonder where she'd gotten the pictures from when I saw one I recognized. Nathaniel's revenge picture. Except that the place where Nathaniel's head should be was replaced with Ken's. A girl came running up to me with a microphone in hand and shoved it in my face.

"Amarantha Briggs why did you lie about your name? Is it true that at your old school you used to seduce other girls boyfriends for fun? What is your relationship with other new student Kentin Moore?" the girl asked firing off question after question.

"What," I managed to ask between one of her questions. She showed me a flier. It was my picture with the word Slut written across the top in red letters. On the back it had a quote from someone saying_, yeah I went to school with Amy she's a total fake. She was always trying to get with other girls boyfriends and the second she did she'd dump them and move on to the next boy, she was a complete ho. She had to change schools cause everyone was ready to kill her._

I pulled another flier off the wall this one said Two-Faced. _You better watch out this girl and I were really good friends till Amy came along she-,_ I pulled another off of the wall _Amy's bad news_ it said and the next _she's a liar! _And another _SLUT!_

"That's not true," I whispered to myself. When I looked up my eyes locked with the blonde. She smiled looking satisfied. _I warned you, _she mouthed. I looked around at all the people in the hall the crowd's faces were a mixture of disgust, anger and a few lewd gestures were made. Some guys smiled and hooted and a few girls laughed. Then the door flew open and in came Nathaniel dragging something behind him.

"Amber!" he shouted and then he noticed me standing there.

"You," I said in a pitiful whisper. I had meant for it to be a loud yell I wanted to scream and curse at him from the top of my lung, and tell him what to shove and where to put it and where he could go after words but l was too hurt. "Traitor," was all I managed to get out before running down the hall.

I pushed my way through the densely packed crowd of students who pushed and kicked me some even pulled at my clothes. Over their laughs and calls I could hear Nathaniel calling to me to wait. No way was I listening. Had he been planning this with that girl all along? Is that why he said I needed a picture for my ID. What was that girl to him anyway if she liked Castiel so much? These questions and more ran through my head as I broke past the crowd and went to the only place I felt safe.

I curled up into a ball and watched the city go by on the roof of the school when Nathaniel found me. "Amy it's-" he started to say but I didn't want to hear it.

"Just leave me alone. You and your little girlfriend or whatever got me okay, you win, so you can stop pretending like you care. I'm not stupid I know all that crap yesterday was a just your little act. So don't pretend like your all surprised and upset about what happened," I yelled, but that's exactly what he did his eyes widened and it was clear to see the hurt behind them. Faker.

"I didn't do this," he denied. "And amber she's-" I saw some fliers balled up in his hand and snatched one out.

"Oh yeah, then what's this," I asked him pointing at the picture. "Is this not from yesterday did I not take this with you!" I yelled.

"It's Amber, she must have gotten that from my room," so that was the monsters name.

It was too much, it was all too much my family's death, my slow recovery, the loss of everything I've ever known and now this. I was supposed to be starting new so why was it going so bad. I didn't want to think about it anymore or be tricked by Nathaniel's lies so I swung my legs over the edge of the roof and slid down to the top rung of the ladder. This was a little trick that Castiel showed me. Not so easy with a leg brace but I could manage. I heard Nathaniel yell after me, but like I said I didn't want to think about it anymore…

So why was I still thinking about it. I had gone over it over and over in my head but I couldn't find any way to make Nathaniel the good guy. Though some part of me wanted him to be. Maybe she did take it from his room! But then why was she in his room to begin with. A pain started to rip at my chest. Was she his girlfriend? He never denied it, but then why did she tell me to stay away from Castiel if she-. Ugh I was getting nowhere with this.

I gave up on my aimless walking and hunkered down at the edge of an alleyway. I hadn't realized it till now but my book bag had been opened. When I checked to make sure that nothing was stolen I saw the notebook.

It was the notebook that prevented me from ripping that Amber girl's hair out. I flipped it open and looked through the first page. Just to see if there was a name or address in it.

It was a poem and a real beautiful one too about love and loss the fear of being alone. It's like this person read my mind taking lines right out of my diary-well if I had one. After I finished the first poem my hands instantly flipped to the next one and the next. I knew it was wrong to read this persons private thoughts but I couldn't help it the lines they wrote were so wonderful… they lifted the heavy weight off of my own heart and made me forget, well at least for the moment.

"Well if it isn't the little angel, what are you doing skipping school," of course who else would find me in this low moment but Castiel. I glared up at him silently. I wasn't in the mood for banter today. "Who pissed in your cornflakes?" he said looking annoyed at my lack of response. I snapped the notebook shut and put it in my book bag. I'd put it in lost and found tomorrow. I put on my backpack and tried to leave, but Castiel blocked my path. "What the hell is wrong with you," he asked glaring back into my eyes. I tossed him the papers that I just realized I still had in my hand.

"See for yourself," I told him wiping off the ink that had stuck to my hand. He read one.

"Who'd you piss off," he asked sounding impressed.

"Apparently the class president and his girlfriend," I told him.

"No chance," Castiel said he laughed.

"What," I asked.

"We've been on the top of each other's shit list since 8th grade and he's never even tried to pull anything this big on me, no way he'd do this to some little girl he doesn't even know," Castiel told me. Was he trying to cheer me up?

That's when I realized, Castiel was a really sweet person, though he hid behind harsh words. "His bitchy sister might though," he told me while I was lost in thought. Wait sister?

"Wait sister!?" I almost shouted.

"Yeah blonde hair, green eyes, about this tall, sour face-,"

"And completely obsessed with you!" it was getting harder to restrain myself.

"So you have met her," he said annoyed. So maybe Nathaniel wasn't involved or he might be an inadvertent part in all of this. If so then what? Do I say sorry and try to be friends? If I did that witch would just do something like this again, or do I avoid him, protect myself and live a quiet school life… Ha yeah right like I could live quietly. Screw Amber and her wicked ways I could take it. Why in the world would I let this nobody that I didn't know rule me?

"Ha," I started laughing to myself.

"Go home I think you've snapped," Castiel said, but I wasn't losing it. No, I was thinking clearer than ever before. I shook my head at him.

"I just realized how stupid I've been acting. Since I got to this school, no long before I even came to this school, I've always been so worried about what people would think of me, I never wanted to let anyone down," I took ballet because mom wanted me to be a ballerina, I worked hard to get into that school because my teacher wanted me to become an idol superstar. Yeah Imperial academy was nicknamed the supernova cause it made stars explode-lame I know. All the biggest stars went there but, singer, actress, prima ballerina assoluta, not one of these dreams were mine. Don't get me wrong I had good times doing all that stuff, but as time went on my enjoyment of these activities waned. I just did them because everyone expected me to. In my heart I just wanted a normal life. I thought that this was my chance to live a normal school life, so I'd been walking on eggshells worried about what to say and how to act, again trying to be what people expected. I wasn't being me, hell I didn't know who the hell I was!

Well there was no chance I would be making many friends now, and somehow that was freeing. My parents were gone and my brother but for some reason I was still alive and I wasn't gonna waste it. "Hey Castiel do you know where I can find a-," It was time for change.

"We're gonna do it here?" I asked him nervously. He had brought me to the back room of some tattoo shop. "Are we even aloud back here," I whispered violently. The heavily tattooed man who let us in looked back at me. He had a half purple half black, relaxed Mohawk that hung down the side of his face and some scary piercings. I smiled quickly, waved nervously and turned immediately on my heels and ran into the room.

"Ha," Castiel laughed as he patted the big leather chair. I sat stiffly like a prisoner waiting for execution. Castiel laughed again. "You know this was your idea right?" he said seeing my nerve stricken face.

"I know I want do this," it sounded like I was trying to convince myself. Castiel sighed and held out his hand.

"Here,"

"What do you take me for some kind of kid," I asked annoyed well I tried to sound annoyed. He raised one eyebrow in a smug fashion, and I gave up on being tuff. "Thank you," I whispered grudgingly. He laughed that superior laugh.

At that moment a colorful girl came bursting in, piercing gun in hand. "Casy welcome," she yelled glomping him. Then she looked at me and our joined hands. "Who's this?" she asked darkly.

"Just some girl from school," he said and I gotta admit it stung a bit, but it was true I had known him for what two, three days we weren't exactly friends. "And the girl you'll be piercing," he said and my nerves were back, I clutched his hand tightly. The girl noticed this and she smiled and looked up at Castiel.

"You out," she detached our hands and pushed him out the door.

"Uh well maybe we shouldn't-" I was about to chicken out when she spun around and pushed me down.

"Let's get started," she said putting the gun to my ear.

"Wait! You didn't even ask what I wanted to get done yet, I don't even know who you are or what your name is," okay I was stalling.

"UUUUUUUgh! Fine I'm Sarah I work here I handle tattoos and piercings," she said cheerfully. "Now what do you want to get done?" she asked annoyed.

"U-um well," I hadn't really thought about it this was a spur of the moment thing. I had always wanted to do something like this but I knew I couldn't so I didn't have details.

"UUUUUUUUUUUgh! See you don't even know just let me do my thing and you can take out the ones you don't like. They'll heal right up and nobody'll ever know," she whined. While I stopped to think she took advantage of the situation and pushed me down.

"W-what are you doing,"

"Well first I'm gonna clean the area, then we'll get started,"

"And you'll do this without a note from my parents or guardians,"

"Yeah, why you gonna tell on me,"

"No I'm just wondering why,"

"Hm well Castiel asked and I'd do anything for him,"

"D-do you like love him," I asked shyly, remembering how she glared at me.

"Yeah a lot, he's like a little brother to me," she said tousling my hair. "The last girl he brought to me was a real awful chick. She messed him up for a long time," she said sadly, while she snapped on gloves. I wanted to ask more about this girl but I got the feeling Sarah wouldn't tell me. So I asked a different question.

"Has he brought a lot of girls by here?"

"Nope just you and that girl for piercings, other than that the only other friend I've met was some boy for a tattoo,"

"And you tattooed him," I asked shocked.

"Like I said I'd do anything for Castiel and he asked, alright here comes the pinch,"

"Wait! I have one more request!"

"She did it on purpose," I yelled at Castiel while I held one of my ears. Sarah CLAIMED that she accidently put a few earrings in the wrong place so she pulled them out and re-pierced me again a few different times.

"No she didn't, stop being a baby," he told me, but he had a mighty big smile on his face!

"And how did I get a nose piercing I went in there for my ears," I said twisting the small stud.

"I don't see you taking it out," he got me. I liked the nose piercing it was just a little stud on the side of my nose but it gave my face character. I felt like a new person.

"I'm just not sure I can slip this buy my aunt,"

"You said the only time you see her she's either asleep or delirious just, tell her she's imagining things," I laughed at his joke. Not because it was funny but because it might just work. At least until it healed and I could wear the cleared invisible stud at home. "Why were you in there so long anyway, piercings don't take that long," he asked.

"Sarah and I were having girl talk," I smiled. Maybe I didn't have friends at school but I think I made friends with her. "Well, this is me," I pointed up at the building. It was dark so Castiel walked me home. I was about to head in when he called out to me.

"Hey, tomorrow, if someone says anything to you just ignore them," he said and then quickly turned and walked away.

"You really are a nice guy you know," I whispered to myself and went inside.

Castiel headed back to his house annoyed by the thought of having to go sit through a whole day of school tomorrow. But he would just to watch out for her. He felt partly responsible for what had happened. A lot of girls who got close to him were hurt by Amber not that he had liked any of them he was still reeling from the pain of his first heartbreak. "When will this end," he said slamming his fist into the wall. He clutched his chest. Though the pain wasn't as bad today only by a little. He put his headphones on and started playing that song from vistalip that Amy played for him on their way to school.

I was getting ready for bed when I caught a glimpse of myself in the mirror. I pulled back my hair to look at my ears. I had to admit I liked the piercings Sarah did three on the lobe of one ear and three on the top of the other. Though I was all pierced up it was still girly, but it didn't feel like enough you couldn't even tell I had them when my hair was down. I wanted something more dramatic. I went into aunt Aggie's sewing room and got her sharp fabric scissors. As I held them I was reminded of what Castiel called me today. "Angel huh," I stopped and peeled the bandages off my back. Laying under them was my first tattoo. The beginning of two angel wings just the beginning. The part of the wings that made you fly were torn away. A few loose feathers spread here and there across my back. Sarah had done a good job with the tattoo. It captured exactly how I felt. The angel was gone now her wings had been torn from her back and turned to ash. I thought as I picked up the scissors again and made the first cut.

This was the first day to the rest of my life.


	5. Chapter 4: Bad Hair Day

Chapter 4

Ugh my back hurts, I thought as I woke up from a strange dream. It was no wonder why I was in pain only the lower half of my body was still on the bed. I picked my head up off the floor and checked the clock it was 5:30am. No wonder I was still tired.

As I got up something didn't feel right. My head felt lighter and everything was so breezy. I looked down at myself just to make sure everything was there, when something brushed against my neck. I launched myself across the room and turned on the lights. "H-hello?" I asked looking around but no one was there. I put my hand on the back of my neck that's when I felt it or well didn't feel it I guess is more accurate. My long and beautiful amaranth hair that usually hung down to my waist had been chopped up to my neck. I ran to the bathroom to get a look at my hair. When I opened the door I stepped right in it. A pile of my own hair lay on the bathroom floor. I grabbed at a fist full of it rubbing it against the short ends of my hair like it could somehow be put back together. "No, no, no, come on," I said looking in the mirror. My hair was a chopped up mess. WHAT HAVE I DONE! My body gave out and I sunk to the floor. Like most girls do after cutting their hair I regretted it. So yesterday wasn't a dream. I got up off the floor and turned around in the mirror. "So I really got a tattoo?" I asked myself as I slowly pulled down the back of my shirt. There at the edge of my shoulder was one of the loose feathers. I gasped. Wow. Of course the piercings were still there to now sticking out from my short hair. I made sure to twist then each like I was supposed to. I cleaned up the hair off the floor and went back to my room to started looking through my closet-that had the full length mirror I didn't think of using in my panic. I got out a box I didn't unpack labeled hats. I needed one that could cover up this awful massacre of a haircut I did till I could get it fixed after school.

I had to settle on some gigantic winter hat that was a gag gift from my dad. It was probably the ugliest hat I'd ever seen and I'd complained so much when he gave it to me. Who knew it would come in handy now? I felt tears sting my eyes but I held them back, and put on the stupid ugly hat with a smile.

Man did I look stupid in that hat and it brought more attention to me. Of course when people realized that it was me under the hat they'd all start talking about what happened yesterday. THANKS A LOT DAD! Honestly I could hear him laughing now telling me I had to get over embarrassment. Fine then I couldn't let that that blonde brat Amber win! I walked down the hall proudly stupid hat firmly in place when I caught a glance of Violette ducking in a classroom. At first I was kinda disappointed but it was understandable I was the object of ridicule right now there was no reason for her to suffer with me. Hopefully she didn't believe all of the awful rumors too. It's alright Violette I don't blame you. I was about to run off to my class when someone grabbed my arm.

"There you are," Nathaniel said huffing. Had he been running to find me? "We have to talk," he said pulling me away, but the warning bell rung. I could see the conflict in his face, the want to follow the rules and be on time to class and the want to clear things up with me were fighting each other in his head. I'd make it easy for him.

"Go to class we can talk later," I said trying to let him off, I thought I'd helped but.

"No, we'll talk now," he said firmly and pulled me away.

We were on the roof again sitting in awkward silence and I finally realized what Nathaniel was dragging behind him yesterday. Sitting in a ripped up pile in a corner was the nerd bird banner Amber made. So he took it down and was going to yell at his sister about it. I remembered yesterday's happenings this time without the veil of hurt and betrayal. Nathaniel had stormed into the building yelling for Amber dragging this behind him. Now I really felt bad for jumping to conclusions.

"I'm sorry!" We both shouted in unison. "You're sorry why?" we said in unison too. There was an awkward pause. We both busted out laughing at the same time.

"I'm sorry about what my SISTER did to you," he said emphasizing the word sister. "I didn't give her the pictures but it is my fault that she got them," he sounded so guilty it hurt my heart to watch him.

"No I'm sorry for accusing you, I jumped to conclusions even when you were obviously trying to help," I motioned to the ripped up banner. Nathaniel blushed red.

"I forgot to throw that away," he whispered to himself.

"You were so kind to me and I accused you without any evidence, the haze of emotion makes the eyes blind," I sighed quoting my favorite book. I looked up hesitantly at Nathaniel, but he was smiling.

"You like Bowen's detective stories," he asked a light in his eyes.

"Yeah, I love police novels, my dad was a detective for the police force," I felt a pang of pain in my chest. That detective job was what got him, mom and Sota killed. A drug lord that dad had put away wanted revenge, he got some guy from his gang to plant the bomb in the car and… well the rest is history. There were a lot of reminders of dad today.

"Really," Nathaniel asked that light still shining in his eyes.

"Yeah, when I was a kid he used to pull out some of his old cases and see if I could choose the bad guy," I laughed at the memory. "My mom hated it, especially when he worked in homicide. I used to run around the house yelling, I got the killer I got the killer, and mom would through a fit." I suddenly felt something warm roll down my cheek.

"A-Amy," Nathaniel said worriedly. I wiped the tear away quickly.

"Sorry I just miss him," I told him.

"Where is he?" Nathaniel asked hesitantly.

"My family isn't really around anymore," that was all I could say, and Nathaniel didn't push me.

"Oh," he said flatly

"We should probably get to class," I sniffed. It had been how many days since I started going here and I've been to first period once. I started to walk away when Nathaniel grabbed my arm. I looked up at him but he didn't say anything. "Nathaniel?" I asked. He looked like he was choosing his words carefully or maybe just hesitant to speak.

"I'll understand… if," he paused "If you don't want to talk to me anymore," he said and I had no idea why. "I don't want you to get hurt and there's no guaranty that Amber won't do this again," he sighed. "I understand if you want to avoid me," Nathaniel finally said but his hand was gripping my arm so tightly. I bet there were a lot of people that avoided him because of his sister hell I'd considered it yesterday but it wouldn't feel right to abandon him. I looked in his eyes and smiled.

"No way are you getting rid of me that easily," I said and to mess with him I leaned in and kissed him lightly in the cheek. His grip immediately loosened and I slipped out. "See you later Natty," I said with a wink his face was completely red.

I had missed first period again so I headed straight to second to get a good spot in the back. Castiel came walking in surprisingly early.

"What's up with the ugly hat little Eskimo," Ugh another nick name. Was everyone in this school so repetitive?

"Don't ask," I said but he grabbed at my hat.

"No!" I wrestled with him over my hat till Amber came in. Cas let me go and I fell into my seat.

"Oh you bothered to show up today," Amber said in mock sympathy. Again I stood there silently trying to think of something smart to say. Dang it I'm off my game, in the past I could spit venom with the best of them. Before I could think of anything good to say the teacher came in.

"Seats everyone seats," he said as he crossed the room to his desk. I sunk down in my seat to hide.

"Um Mr. Reiner I believe no students are allowed to wear headwear inside," the hateful she witch said. I sunk even deeper in my seat I was practically under my desk.

"Yes Amber that is correct," Mr. Reiner said absently as he unpacked his stuff.

"Well it seems that one new student didn't get the memo," the dirty hag said oh so innocently looking back at me. Mr. Reiner looked up this time.

"Ms. Briggs," he motioned to my head.

"Uh-um I-I can't," I told him hesitantly tying the fluffy ball strings under my chin.

"And why not," he asked skeptically.

"Uh m-medical reasons," I said like a question. "I could get you a doctor's note tomorrow," I offered. Mr. Reiner still looked skeptically at me but then he glanced at Amber.

"Fine I expect to see that note tomorrow," he said letting it go.

"Wha-a-at," Amber shouted slamming her hands on the desk.

"Amber down," he said pointing at her seat. I heard a snicker come from beside me. I looked over at Cas who had his face covered.

Again today I couldn't find Ken. Though I couldn't blame him, he was being lumped in with me in all this. If aunt Aggie didn't constantly insist on driving me to school I might have skipped to.

Today was a real pain, all that day every time I stepped out of a class that microphoned girl- whose name I found out from Castiel was Peggy a journalist for the school paper- followed me everywhere asking all kinds of questions. At first I answered honestly but A: she looked like she didn't believe anything that came out of my mouth that didn't match up with what was on those fliers- which was nothing and B: she so didn't believe anything that came out of my mouth that didn't match up with what was on those fliers. It was a waist talking to her she was gonna put whatever she wanted in the paper and I had no control over it. The old me would never have freaked obsessing over and over again about what to do and how screwed I was but not now. The new me didn't care what Peggy wrote about me cause I didn't have anything to lose. Still it was so annoying having this girl chase me around the school firing off question after question. The second free period started I shot out of class like a rocket, but amazingly enough Peggy was a few steps behind.

"Amarantha Briggs!" She called after me. God I wish she would stop yelling my full name. I quickly rounded a corner on the second floor but it was a dead end. Crap, Crap, Crap I looked around there was no escape just a window that overlooked the courtyard.

"Hm," one of the trees was planted just close enough that I could jump to it. What the hell was I thinking? I shook the idea out of my head, but then I heard Peggy's footsteps down the hall.

"Amarantha Briggs," she called. Screw it I'll take the chance. I made sure no one was looking- no need for people to think I'm suicidal- and then positioned myself in the window. One, Two, Three I launched myself from the second story window. I was clearing the distance the branch right there, but my shirt got caught on one of the smaller branches and I went tumbling down into the tree.

"Ah!" I let out one swift shriek and tumbled head over heels through the branches till I hit one big one. Ugh, I looked to see if anyone noticed. A few people must have heard the shriek heads swiveling around to find the maker but none noticed me or so I thought. A strangely dressed boy with hair that changed from white to black sat under the tree.

"I don't think you'll learn to fly like that," he said in a serious voice.

"I wasn't trying to fly," I groaned in a raspy voice. God it felt like this branch broke my back. I slowly straitened myself out and dropped from the tree. "I was running from a Peggy," I said plopping down next to him. "Ugh," I touched my toes stretching out my back. "Ouch," it cracked but now I felt better. I sighed. "You mind if I stay here?" I asked. I didn't want to spend the rest of free period running from Peggy.

"That's fine," he said he hadn't once looked up from what he was doing. Whatever. My attention was somewhere else. Iris and Violette came out with their lunches. I watched them from afar.

Violette and Iris went out to the courtyard to eat lunch like usual, both worried about Amy. "I should have been faster," Violette said guiltily. She and Iris sat in their normal spot.

"It's okay Violette we'll find her," Iris said patting Violette on her head. The truth is when Violette saw Amy this morning she wanted to talk to her right away but because of her shyness Violette didn't know what to say so she went to get Iris. By the time they got back Amy was gone. Violette sigh again looking down. Neither of the girls believed that Amy was that kinda person and though others were looking at her harshly they still wanted to be friend. Amy was so nice. As they sat out there eating Melody, Nathaniel's lab partner comes over.

"Have you seen Amy?" Melody asked. She knew the flyers were lies and after talking to Nathaniel she knew Amber was behind this.

Amy watched the three of them eating wishing she were there.

Ugh I couldn't watch their happy normal life anymore so I tried to crawl away.

"If you want to join them why don't you," the boy asked.

"I'm not very desirable right now," I pouted.

"Oh?" he said lamely.

"I guess you weren't here yesterday," I was getting down again.

"No," he said calmly.

"Lucky you," that's all I said. I didn't want to go around broadcasting my embarrassment to those who missed it. I wasn't feeling much for conversation and watching the girls all laugh and giggle from afar was making me feel like a stalker so I crawled around the building to the back door.

Finally the dreaded period came honors biology. I was dreading it cause I didn't know what to do about Iris I didn't want to make her have to suffer through having to be my lab partner but there were no more empty seats, but science was my favorite subject unlike math which I was so bad at I had to be placed in remedial class with kids from 9th grade. As I got to the classroom I saw Iris, Violette and Melody waiting for me. Uh oh. Part of me wanted to run from whatever this was but I knew this had to happen sometime. I sighed and walked to my doom.

"A-Amy," Violette came running up first and grabbed my hands. "Are you o-okay," she asked.

"We were worried about you," Iris chimed in.

"What Amber did to you must have really hurt, are you okay," Melody asked.

"What you guys don't hate me," I asked. I mean as we spoke people in the hall were giving me dirty looks and whispering.

"What of course not," Iris smiled.

"There's no way we'd buy into all that stuff Amber did," Melody said. Violette just tightened her grip and nodded.

"Even so I don't think I'm someone you girl want to be hanging around. You might be treated coldly to," I warned them.

"No such thing," Melody said. "My birthday is next month and I'm having a sleepover I want you to come, no matter what," Melody said. Iris and Violette nodded along.

"You're so kind to me, even when I get lost in class," Iris said.

"Y-you haven't done anything to make us avoid you," Violette said.

"We don't believe in those rumors one bit," Melody added. I felt like crying.

"Girls Thanks," I said and the bell rung.

After the final bell rung and the day came to an end I finally made my way to the lost and found. I looked at the notebook. I really didn't want to let it go the poems were so beautiful and the really lifted me up, but it wasn't mine. Finally I dropped the notebook in the box. I never did learn what the word Lysander meant. I searched it on the internet but all I got were a lot of pictures of some anime guy. Oh well.

When I got outside I saw Melody and quickly ran to catch up to her.

"Melody," I called. Catching her. I had something important to ask her. She stopped.

"Oh Amy," she smiled

"Hey, um, thanks for today," I said kind of shyly. "I just wanted to ask you something," I paused. "Um, why did you decide to be my friend, not that I'm not thankful or anything but why,"

Melody smiled. "Well I felt like something was fishy and when I talked to Nathaniel about it he told me how great you were that I wanted to see for myself," she said with a smile and slight blush. I have a feeling that Natty was someone very special to her. I don't know why but that gave me a pain in the center of my chest.

"Do you like him," I said. It came off a lot angrier than I meant it to but Melody didn't seem to notice. She blushed and looked away. "S-sorry that was a weird question and we just met you don't have to answer," I said waving my hands. "Well this is where I split," I told her coming back to my senses.

"Uh yeah okay," she waved her voice sounded caught in her throat.

Before I looked for a hair salon I walked the familiar way to the tattoo shop. Since the piercings and tattoo were a spur of the moment thing I hadn't brought enough money to pay Sarah so I cracked open my piggy bank that was stuffed to the brim with 15 years of birthday Christmas and allowance money that I had been too busy to spend. Sarah was manning the desk she smiled at me.

"So how much do I owe you," I said coming in.

"Whoa you can't just come in here wearing that hat and not expect me to ask questions," she said

"I went through a bit of temporary insanity yesterday and…" I pulled off my hat and showed her my butchered hair.

"Wow what did you do," she said coming around the counter to get a closer look.

"I know, I know that's why I'm here to pay you so I can use the rest of my money to find someone who can fix this," I told her pulling my hair like I could somehow stretch it out to its old length.

Sara tilted my head this way and that. "I think I can help you with this but it's gonna be really short," She said.

I honestly think Sarah can do anything. I looked in the mirror at my new A-line bob. To balance out the edgy look of it she bleached my hair to a light pastel pink that kept me girly, and she did it all in the back room sink. "Sarah you know you're seriously a genius," I said hugging her tightly.

"Whoa okay, okay, you're welcome," she said patting me awkwardly.

"How much do I owe you?!" I yelled taking out my piggy I'd give it all to her if she wanted. Sarah doesn't know how much she's saved me. Sarah looked at my piggy bank skeptically.

"Why don't you just pay the 300 for the studs when you can and we'll call it even," she sounded like she just wanted me to get out of the shop but I couldn't accept all her help without giving her something.

"No, no you really saved my life her," she did, so I popped the corks on my piggy's belly and pulled out two hand fulls of money not even bothering to count it I laid it on the counter. "Thank you, Sarah, thank you!" I said waving goodbye. She let out one hysterical laugh like I was crazy as she started counting my piles of money. I left the shop with the ugly hat pressed to my chest. The sun was just starting to set the sky a beautiful mix of orange and yellow. I was feeling good till half way back to the apartment I notice… someone was following me.


	6. Chapter 5: My Ken

**Chapter 5**

The footsteps stayed steady at a far distance. Amy you just being crazy nobody's following you. Their just headed in the same direction. I told myself. I sped up my pace, but the footsteps stayed the same. See NOT following you. I turned into the park feeling safe enough to take the short cut home. When I got off the main road the footsteps got quicker. Hu? Then it went back to the leisurely stroll down the path behind me. OH MY GOD, OH MY GOD, OH MY GOD, SOMEONE IS FOLLOWING ME! I kicked up my pace tenfold speed walking down the path not looking back never looking back! When the victim looked back in movies that's when they fell and the murderer dragged them away. Face forward one foot in front of the other, no falling okay. I kept my steady speed walking pace till the path in the park stretched around a tree and I took off like a shot –in one of those ugly run y'know like when you were a kid- arms flailing, wide strides. The follower did too, and he was catching up fast. 15 seconds if I could last 15 more seconds I would be back on the main road by the apartment with people! Other people! Right as I got to the park exit someone cut me off. "Ahhhhhhhhhhhh!" I screamed and started swinging like a mad man it was a reflex reaction.

"Hey, HEY!" the person yelled and a dog started barking. I finally opened my eyes and stopped screaming when I realized the voice was one I knew.

"C-Castiel… you scared me," I started hitting him again but the truth was I was relieved.

"Hey you're the one that came charging at me screaming," he was pissed and he had a right to be. I looked back into the park it was now pitch black.

"Sorry," I told him absentmindedly and the dog he had with him started to growl into the darkness. I flinched back.

"Demon," he pet his dogs head and looked at me. "What happened to you?"

I didn't really have the patience to talk. "I-I'll talk to you tomorrow," I turned to run but he grabbed my arm. We stared at each other for a moment.

"Demon, come." He tugged the leash and the dog backed away. We didn't talk or even look at each other when he walked me to the apartment, but at some point he stopped dragging me by the arm and started holding my hand and that made me feel safe. We stood outside the apartment just holding hands. I wasn't ready to be alone yet and he seemed to realize that. "I would walk you up but," he held up demons leash.

"Uh actually my apartment is pet friendly so…" I lowered my head. Ugh when did I become so weak?

Cas smirked and pulled demon's leash and we went up.

The second I opened the door Demon bolted to the couch.

"Hey," Cas shouted running after demon.

"It's okay, I don't mind," I patted demons head. "Do you want something to drink or a snack?"

"Nah I shouldn't stay long, don't want your aunt coming in and get some misunderstanding," he was standing awkwardly by the door just staring at demon.

"Like I said before my aunt doesn't get back till like 4 in the morning. Even if she just came in and saw you she probably wouldn't think you were real,"

"Right," he sighed and sat down next to demon. I pulled out a bag of chips and sat on the couch too. Demon got up and laid his head on my lap.

"Hey traitor did you forget who your master is?" demon just looked up at me and snuggled in deeper.

Their little comedy act made me laugh. "Good boy demon," I smiled. I was starting to feel better.

"So what happened," he asked ruining my mood.

"I don't want to talk about it," I shot him down immediately.

"You don't get to run up and attack somebody in the street and not tell them why!"

"U-uh," I sighed and told him everything.

"Hugh," I groaned awakened by aunt aggie collapsing on the couch. I slid out from under her- she didn't even flinch- and looked around for Castiel and demon but no one was there. When did they leave and when did I go to sleep? The microwave said 5:00 am so I still had a while to go so I showered and made breakfast. I was still a little shaken up from last night but one nice thing came out of it.

"Gimme your phone," I remembered Castiel saying.

"Hm why?" I asked handing him my cellphone. He started clicking away then suddenly flipped it shut and handed it back.

"If anything like that happens again… call me." he had muttered.

I smiled at the memory over a bowl of cereal. I checked out my new hair in the toaster. "He didn't even say anything about it," oh! I gasped. I forgot to call Dr. Marten for a note. I ran upstairs to look through my notes. "Note about my broken leg, Note about my broken leg, Note about my broken ribs," I flipped through old doctor's notes that were sent to my old school when I was hospitalized. "Ah! Note about my head injury," Bingo I rubbed a little water over the date and a few of the words- so it didn't look suspicious and finished getting ready for school.

Today I was happy to have aunt aggie drive me. Though part of me still thought that maybe I was just being paranoid. I mean I just heard the sound of footsteps in a very suspicious ways, but I hadn't come into contact with anyone. Aunt Aggie had pulled up to the front of the school. Something felt off. I looked around but I couldn't see anything that that would give me that feeling. Everyone was glaring at me or whispering about me or glancing at me like usual, honestly the only person that wasn't looking my way was some man at the bus stop talking on his phone he was facing away from me with a bright red baseball cap. Ugh let's get this day over with. I walked through the gates and immediately I noticed Nathaniel. "Hey," I pushed my hair behind my ear. Hoping to bring notice to it. He noticed right away.

"Oh hey," that's it? It was clear that he noticed. Ugh am I really going to have to ask.

"What do you think?" I threw out my arms to make a show of it.

"U-uh the color's really cute but I have to say I liked it long," Natty said shyly.

"Yeah me too," I know I was confusing him but I wanted to drag out the conversation a little longer so that I didn't have to be thrown back into the sea of frigid cold stares and whispers. "I guess you could say it met with some unforeseen circumstances. So I'm just making the best of it," Natty gave a half smile.

Okay I'm pretty sure that my first period teacher hates me. All throughout first period Ms. Fergus my Spanish teacher was making all these little remarks about the importance of being here and how she couldn't remember my name cause I never showed up. Ugh. Honestly I was thinking of a way to duck out of class early when the projector came on. Huh? Everyone looked around curiously- even the teacher. Then when the picture finally loaded I saw a face I knew.

"Uh u-uh Hi Amy-chan? Uh I miss you so much Mr. Black told me you weren't feeling well and that's why you left. I hope you get well soon and come back, class isn't the same without you!" a cute blonde girl with her hair in pigtails exclaimed in a shy voice. Her name was Mimi and we were in ballet class together.

The screen flashed and a new face showed up this one I knew to. "Hey Aim's where the hell are you and why haven't you called me!" she shouted into the camera. "Black and white won't tell me anything, and Kenny skinny here," she reached past the camera to pinch, I'm guessing, Kens cheeks.

"Ouch," yup that was Ken's voice.

"Is keeping his lips sealed too, call me already," she yelled. I laughed so did everybody in class, well almost everybody. Ms. Fergus was glaring at me from the front of the room. Great if it wasn't official before it was now. This lady hated me, but I wouldn't let it get to me I was having too much fun seeing my friends. Another face flashed on the screen and another. I can't believe Ken did this. Tears started to form in my eyes and my vision blurred.

The second class ended I had to run for it, before Fergus caught me but waiting out in the hall for me was an even bigger surprise. On every locker on every wall on every surface of the hall way were pictures of me. Real pictures of me. Ones of me in my leotard at ballet, my first fieldtrip, my first modeling job when I was 13 and my second and third, there were hundreds of pictures not one the same. Oh god this was embarrassing! As I looked around at all of the pictures the principal came into view. Oh great.

"Why am I not surprised that you are at the center of this? It seems it seems that ever since you got here it's been one disturbance after another!"

"But ma'am it wasn't me!"

"Oh if not you then who I will punish them properly," I'm guessing she hadn't seen the whole video that went with it. As I looked around I saw Ken coming out of a closet with AV gear.

"It was me. Some mean girls made these fliers with mean messages on them so I wanted to show people they were not true. So I used their tactic against them." I said covering for Ken.

"My office now," the principal snapped. I followed, but then something distracted me.

One picture really caught my attention it was a photo of my family. I remembered it well, Ken had tagged along with us on a family vacation to the cabin in the woods. It was my favorite place in the world to be, it was the only time I really got to relax. I was swept away in the pain of nostalgia. I backed away unconsciously

"Ms. Briggs!" the principal noticed. I ran.

My heart raced painfully and I couldn't breathe. I couldn't make it to the roof so I went to the tree that I hid behind to get away from Peggy. I huddled behind the tree and put my head between my legs. What's going on? My body started to convulse and it became almost impossible to breath. Oh my god I'm gonna die. I thought in fear but the sound of Kens voice snapped me out of it.

"Amy?" he called out to the court yard. I had stopped shaking by the time he found me. Once the panic stopped a surge of anger flashed.

"What is wrong with you?" I exploded. I don't know why but suddenly I had all this anger that just needed to go somewhere. "Why do you always have to follow me around and do all of these crazy things," years of bottled feelings were all coming out. "I have TRIED to be your friend, I have TRIED to protect you, so why do you always, always have to do these crazy things that end up blowing up in MY face. Why can't you get over me and get your own life! God I am so tired of protecting you and babying you! What am I gonna do about Ken? I wonder how Ken is doing. I better go check on KEN! How long do I have to wait for you to stand on your own two feet, so that I can start my own life?!" I knew I would regret these words sometime and that sometime would be soon but right now I was too angry to care. "Why do you always have to embarrass me like this with these big shows of affection Ken?! I didn't tell anyone that I was leaving FOR A REASON! I DIDN'T TELL ANYONE WHERE I WAS GOING FOR A REASON! So that I could start fresh and not be burdened by crazy things like this!"

"But Amy I thought…" Ken lowered his head yup there was that regret right on time. Before I got a chance to apologize Ken ran off.

"Ken!" I yelled after him but he didn't stop. I was about to run after him but the principal showed up.

"Ms. Amarantha!" she shouted. Crap Ken was gonna have to wait.

While Amy was receiving her punishment Ken went off to hide and cry alone in the green house. He had really thought that he was helping he had spent days on that big surprise for Amy but it all just blew up in HIS face. He replayed her words in his head over and over. "_Why do you always have to embarrass me like this?" "! God I am so tired of protecting you and babying you!" _It was all true and he knew it Ken had always had Amy protecting him. Ken knew that he was useless to everyone around him but he was okay with that as long as he could be even a small help to the one he loved. Now that that was proving to be untrue ken didn't know what to do with his life he had no meaning no use he was worthless. A sob slipped through kens lips. He was weak and short and dorky and clingy he knew all that, but Amy had accepted that about him… well he thought she did. She had always smiled at him and told him it was okay she had always comforted him and done things for him. Ken was feeling worse and worse. He was a leach hanging onto Amy sucking the life from her and the thought of that continuing made him sick. Ken pulled out his cellphone. He pulled up his father's number.

"Kentin! For shit's sake you better not be calling to ask me to bring you home already!" his father yelled through the phone. The truth is every day since he got to Sweet Amoris high he had called his dad to come get him. That Amber girl had been picking on him so much he couldn't finish a whole day. Not once! His dad was so ashamed he threatened to send ken to military academy. Amber and her friends had stolen his money, so he started to pack a lunch, then they'd throw his lunch on the ground and shove his face in the dirt. They hit him and kicked him. He intended to just wait for the next semester and change into Amy's classes and stick close to her. She was strong and brave and while the girls openly picked on him they never approached her directly. Ken felt shame he was going to hide behind the one he loved again. "Kentin! Kentin boy answer me!" his dad shouted.

"I-" he took a deep breath. "I've decided to go," he said into the phone bleakly.

"Oh no I have to be on base at least till 12:00 so you're gonna have to tough it out until-"

"No to training. Dad I want to go to that military school… I want to get strong FOR AMY!" Kens dad loved Amy. Called her the son he never had. He had always wished she would rub off on ken, though he could see clearly that with his son the way he was that wasn't likely. So he tried settling for having her as a daughter in-law. He was always pushing ken to become a better man or at least a man at all for Amy. It wasn't until now that ken accepted it and it made his dad a little proud to see his son growing up.

"Really! You want to go." His dad sounded proud. "Well there is a term starting next month. I think I can get you squeezed in, but you have to know the terms are 9 months long and once you go in I am not coming to get you out you have to stay the whole term I won't even except your phone call Kentin, got it!" his dad said firmly but you could still her the pride he had for his boy oozing out.

"I understand Sir," Ken said firmly. For the next month he would try to make up with Amy and spend as much time with her as she would allow to hold him over for those 9 months. He would become stronger and faster and truly manly so that he could be dependable and useful he wanted Amy to love him but more than that he wanted to be worthy of her love. The next time he saw her he wanted to be the shield she could hide behind when she was in trouble.

"You will not leave until this hallway is clear of all of these papers!" the principal yelled at me. I was given a broom and a trash can and put to work.

"Yes ma'am," I said dejectedly. Ken was a very thorough boy he had entirely covered the hallways with my pictures. This was gonna take forever! And I still hadn't seen Ken all day to apologize. UUUUUUgggggghhhhh! Why did I have to open my big mouth? Ken had been trying to make me happy… like always and I was when I saw the little video I was happy and all the pictures… well that was embarrassing but I wasn't mad at Ken at all till… Ugh I closed my eyes and started sweeping up the pictures without looking at them seriously what was wrong with me. I needed to finish this up fast and find Ken!

I had finished one third of the hallway and was headed for the second when I found the person I was looking for.

Ken was stooped on the floor neatly stacking all of my pictures. He had finished the last of the hallway and just had a few left to go. "Ken!" I yell unintentionally. He jumped.

"Uh u-um Amy w-what u-uh," he stuttered. Guilt surged I had really freaked him out. He backed away from me unconsciously.

"Wait, don't run away, I didn't mean to yell at you like that earlier. I'm… going through some stuff right now and I directed it at you and that was wrong," I told him sincerely.

He looked down and shook his head. "Everything you said was true, I-"

"NO! It wasn't Ken I was just having a bad day and I unintentionally took it out on you. Ken you are my BEST friend and you have been since like kindergarten. I'm glad you came to this school looking for me I'm glad I have you around. I'm even glad you do these crazy things. I didn't mean to say those thing I am truly lucky that I have a friend like you who has my back," I told him trying to will him into believing it.

"Have your back or hide behind your back," he murmured lowly.

"What?" I asked I couldn't hear him, but he just shook his head.

"Amy my love, one day I will be able to do more than just back you up," he smiled I'll be able to protect you with all of my heart. He added silently.


	7. Chapter 6: The One I Can Depend On

**Chapter 6**

I was getting used to waking up on time. This morning like every one before it aunt Aggie was passed out on the couch snoring loudly with pieces of fabric stuck to her face. I snapped a picture and laughed a little as I headed out the door. Instead of waking her up today I decided I could walk myself. I decided to go through the park- I hadn't been there since my little scare a few weeks ago and I wanted to prove to myself that there was nothing to be afraid of. I walked through the park casually on my way to school- the city bus didn't come till 7:00 and no school bus came close enough to my apartment. As I strolled through the park I heard a thumping in the bushes, and just like the first day I was the idiot in the horror movie that went looking for trouble. "Please don't be a bird, please, please don't be a bird," I begged as I looked into the bushes and saw an upturned box. "Eek," It jumped and so did I. I dragged the box out of the bushes still upside down. "Ah," I jumped back, as it thumped again. "Okay Amy on three ready," I told myself. Whatever it was it was it was trapped and it needed my help, or at least that's what I told myself. "Three," I put my hands on the thumping box. "Two," I took a deep breath. Please don't be a bird. One! I thought as I lifted the box cause my mouth was too busy saying "Please don't peck me I'm only trying to help you!" I yelled but no flapping no caw or chirp just one little "Meow" I opened my eyes then, and saw one lone kitten. He was a cute little guy white with a big orange spot on his back. He had a big black spot on his face that covered his eye and left era and another orange spot that only covered his right ear the rest was white. "Hey there little guy,"

"Ouch! No scratching," I whispered to the kitten under my shirt as I raced to find the one person I'd never usually be looking for. "Ken!" I called out in the middle of the hallway. He looked up eyes sparkling behind his thick glasses. Good it looks like he has forgiven me. "Ke-Ah," I screamed awkwardly before I could clamp my hand over my mouth, everyone looked at me. "No biting ether," I whispered angrily. I'm probably going to get flees from this. "Ke-Ken ca-ah-n I put some stuff in your locker?" I asked awkwardly trying to hide my shouts of pain and laughter-its fur tickled.

"Sure my love!" Ken opened his locker immediately. And I dumped it right in, by it I mean all the crap I had in my backpack no way could I leave a kitten in a locker that would be animal cruelty. When my backpack was empty and Ken was organizing, fondling, and I'm pretty sure stealing my stuff, I put the kitten in my backpack and went off to class.

The good thing about Spanish class was that it was loud we were constantly repeating after the teacher so no one really noticed the one or two little mew's coming from my book bag. But what was I gonna do when I had a quieter class like math next period. I had to find a safe and responsible place for this little guy.

"Ms. Amarantha did you hear me!" Ms. Fergus yelled.

"Uh I'm sorry ma'am what was it," I was snapped out of my thinking.

"I said Translate the board," she slapped the white bored behind her.

"Uh yes ma'am," as I got up to try to translate the words on the board, a class passed in front of the door. For a split second I thought I saw Nathaniel, and that gave me an idea. "Uh ma'am I-" I started putting on my best sick voice. "Um I-I don't feel very well," I groaned and held my stomach for theatrical effect. "May I go to the bathroom?"

"Really now you feel ill," she said skeptically. I amped up my theatrics with a groan. "Go," she gave up motioning to the door. I picked up my book bag and raced to the door. "Hold it! Where do you think you're going with that?" she motioned to my book bag. "I hardly think you'll be needing school supplies in the bathroom," crap she's onto me think, think. I blushed deep red. I can't believe I'm gonna say this in front of the whole class.

"I need it f-for feminine reasons," I muttered, the other kids laughed. Geez we're in 10 grade and kids still laugh at someone having their period. Ms. Fergus blushed a little and motioned for me to go. I faked left to the bathroom but then ducked to the right and headed to the student council room. Natty only went in there what before school after school and during free period. As long as I got there before free period I would be home free. As I turned the corner to get to the council room I was stopped in my tracks.

"Grrrrr," I-is that a dog, that's right standing there blocking my path was a small brown dog growling. I held my book bag close. It sniffed in my direction and started growling again.

"Good doggy, kind doggy… no jumping or biting," I backed away slowly and the dog attacked. "Ah!" I scurried down the hall dog in toe. "Nice doggy," I shouted a few teachers and students came to their doors to look but no one helped and at one point I swear I saw Castiel laughing his dumb head off. I had probably run around the building twice when I painted myself into a corner. I had run into one of the exit corridors with no place to go but out. "Good boy or girl. G-goo- Ah!" I pushed the door open and ducked out of the way. The dog rushed out as the door slammed shut. Phew! I got up quickly and soothed the frightened kitten.

"It's okay little guy, we're fine," I calmed it. The kitten cried and cuddled against my chest. "You're okay," I whispered.

"Ms. Briggs!" The principal yelled from down the hall. I hid the kitten behind my book bag. "What have you done!" she followed up.

"M-me!" What the hell did I do save everyone from that midget dog. "W-What I just got rid of a dangerous dog that chased me through the school!"

"Got rid of! What have you done with my Kiki!" oh crap.

"y-your Kiki?" I just let out the principal's dog! What was her dog doing at school in the first place?

"What have you done to my dog Mr. Briggs? Where is my Kiki!" she shrieked.

"I-I u-um well like I said the dog w-was chasing me right, a-and,"

"Spit it out!"

"And I let it out!"

"You WHAT," she exploded. " MS. BRIGGS! You bring my doggy back this instant!"

"M-me why," it wasn't smart to say but it was true. Why should I have to look for her dog? That little yappy mutt just tried to kill me. She shouldn't even have her animals at school. Now I know I had a cat in my book bag but I knew I wasn't supposed to. And if someone let him escape the only person I could blame is me for not offering a safer place for him. She was letting her dog run wild and blaming me for it getting out. Seriously?

"Ms. Briggs I don't know how things worked at your old school but here if you did something you undo it got it!" she exclaimed. "You will not return to class until you have caught and returned Kiki to me!" she was crazy. You're gonna ban a student from her classes to go and catch YOUR dog that's a huge abuse of power, I said… in my mind. In real life I got up off the floor handling the kitten in my book bag carefully and went outside to find the stupid dog. First thing I did was check the courtyard gate. The little gate was supposed to be closed every day at the start of first period so that kids didn't sneak in but every day that I had to sneak in it was open. Thankfully it was closed but just in case I climbed up to make sure Kiki wasn't on the other side. When I got up on the gate I got this creepy feeling like I was being watched. I first looked at the school thinking that it was the principal or Castiel making fun of me, but nothing. I looked out and to the street but no one was- wait it was the man in the red cap again. He was sitting around trying to look busy, trying a little too hard if you ask me, and every now and then he looked over at me. I couldn't see his face very well the brim of his hat cast a long shadow over his face but I knew he was looking at me. I was trying to get a better look when I heard, "Ms. Briggs Get down from there right now!" The principal shouted. Aw man.

I am officially no longer a dog person! I used to like dogs and cats and all animals that weren't spiders- or any other insect for that matter- but this has officially marked dogs off my list. I had been chasing down that stupid dog for hours and couldn't catch her. "Kiki come here girl, Please, Please come here." I begged when I cornered her under a bush. Kiki whined a little and backed up into an invisible hole in the back wall. "Crap," I moaned. "Come here Kiki be a good girl," I said trying to follow her through the hole. I hadn't noticed but this part of the wall was different than the rest it was a wood gate that eroded away. I had to break some of the bad wood to get through but finally I fit. "Whoa," On the other side of the gate was a huge glass house and some overgrown grass. The glass was too dirty to see in and it was obvious this place was abandoned and somehow I felt sorry for it.

"Woof, woof," I heard Kiki barking from inside the glass house and swiftly went after her. I found a door and went in.

"It's a green house," inside of the dirty glass house were planter boxes and old dead dried up plants.

"Grrrrr," Kiki growled.

"Kiki?" I asked looking around for her. "Ah there you are!" I said excitedly. I had finally found her facing off with a black cat… w-with a white stripe. Oh god that's not a cat. I tried to grab Kiki and get her away in time but she was heavy for a little dog as soon as I got her securely in my arms the skunk's tail went up. "Oh god no!" I yelled and Kiki yelped.

Unluckily enough when I went to give back the dumb dog it was free period for the 10th graders Violette and Iris were in our usual place outside with Melody and Ken. Iris, of course, being the sweetest girl in the world waved me over immediately and when I shook my head no she brought everyone over. Damn your kindness Iris, damn it. Once they got about six feet away everyone except Ken skittered to a stop.

"Amy my love where have you been," ken asked throwing his arms around me like I didn't smell awful. It kinda made me feel nice that ken didn't care how bad I smelled he still loved me, and I still loved him too… just not in the same way. Guilt hit me again. I couldn't love ken the same way he loved me, he was like a kid brother. I couldn't romantically love my kid brother I protected him and we hung out and stuff not love.

"Didn't you here I was forced to find the principals dog after it chased me through the school," I held Kiki up to show them. "And she got us skunked!" I yelled and Kiki whined.

"You were skunked," Melody asked worried. The others were wearing the same expression trying to inch closer.

"Yeah but I'm fine, oh yeah Ken thanks for letting me use your locker this morning I was in quite the rush this morning so I didn't have time to say thanks,"

"Ah that's fine i-if you want until you get a locker you could just share mine," he offered excitedly.

"Nah I'll wait till a locker opens up, but until I get this skunk smell off of me can I leave my stuff in there,"

"Of course!"

"Thanks I'm gonna go give the principal her mutt back," Kiki whined again. It was never easier to get through the halls everyone scattered at about six feet. I felt like I was in a stink bubble that no one could penetrate. I got to the front office and the receptionist immediately jumped up.

"What is that smell," she said holding her hand up to stop me from coming any closer.

"Can you just get the principal I have her dog," I was really irritated now. The principal must have been listening at the door because she burst out of her office and came running up until she hit the stink wall. She staggered back a step and pressed her jacket to her nose.

"Ms. Briggs what have you done."

"Wha- ha- I caught your dog! Who got us both skunked might I add," I snapped.

"This would never have happened if you hadn't let her out," she snapped back.

"After she chased me down the halls, why do you even have your dog at school?" My irritation was growing worse and worse. My head was killing me and my eyes were burning.

"Ms. Briggs what I do in my school is my business and I will not tolerate this attitude of yours, give me my dog and get out of my school you are not allowed back until this stink is gone. I will call your guardian to come pick you up now go outside." She ordered.

"Don't bother!" I stormed out and started walking, not to the apartment Aunt Aggie might still be there and I most certainly didn't want to sit and talk to her about feelings and crap. I also didn't want to be around people right now I sighed I didn't know where to go. While I was pondering that a phone rang and it wasn't mine.

"Hello?" it was a male voice, it kinda sounded familiar but I just couldn't place it. "Yeah I had a visual she just turned the corner," he said. Was he talking about me? My heart started racing. "I'll Keep watch don't you worry," he said. His voice was getting too close for comfort. It was a long run to the next corner so I was going to go over the wall. I threw my book bag on top of the wall forgetting that the kitten was in it. Oops. I climbed into the bush to get high enough over the wall, by the time I was on top I could see the guys red hat was rounding the corner. I quickly threw myself over the wall. "Hey!" I heard him yell. I landed in the bushes and the kitten yeowed.

"Sorry, sorry," I told him as I got up and ran for my life. I took of to thefurthest park exit and escaped into town. This day was really luckless because the stinking skunk smell drew a lot of attention to me and the fact that I was running like a wild woman didn't lesson the effect. What do I do! The police, I started to dial the number but panic stopped me. I didn't want aunt aggie to know, and they were sure to tell her. I paused slipped into an alley behind a dumpster- the smell would blend in here and called the only person I knew I could depend on.


End file.
